Antenatal malaria parasitaemia and haemoglobin profile of pregnant mothers in Awka, Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria

Three hundred and two women comprising 242 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic and 60 nonpregnant women that served as control group, were tested for malaria parasites using Giemsa stained thick films.The haemoglobin concentration of the mothers were also tested and matched with their infection status.The findings show that malaria parasitaemia and intensity are dependent on pregnancy and parity of pregnancy(p < 0.05). It demonstrated that anaemia is a common feature of malaria infection, more severe during pregnancyespecially in the first pregnancy. There was a downward gradation in the prevalence of low haemoglobin levelsfrom primiparae to the control group in both infected and uninfected populations. Over 70% of primigravidmothers, 45% of the multiparae and only 22% of the control group recorded haemoglobin levels lower than theWorld Health Organization benchmark (11.0g/dl). Anaemia was therefore dependent on infection status,pregnancy status and parity of pregnancy (p <0.05). The effects of malaria and its clinical features (especiallyanaemia) on the mother and foetus was again re-stressed with emphasis on availability, affordability andsustainability of malaria control efforts especially for the most vulnerable populations. The study will be ofimmense value as a public health tool for planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of interventions.